Combined casket and grave vault



June 18, 1940. w. s. STONE COMBINED CASKET AND GRAVE VAULT Filed Aug. 27, 1937 Zhwentor B WILLiAM S .STIJNE film 5 Patented June 18, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,205,110 COMBINED CASKET AND GRAVE VAULT William S. Stone, Green Township, Hocking County, Ohio Application August 27, 1937, Serial No. 161,304

2 Claims.

This invention relates to caskets and vaults therefor and has for its object to provide an improved construction whereby the life of the casket is prolonged and the vault adapted to deter, if not thwart attempts to steal the corpse or valuable contents in the casket. Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the casket is protected from puncturing in the handling and transporting of it. Other objects will be apparent from the disclosure herein.

The invention is embodied in the construction and combination of parts herein shown and described, the features of novelty being finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a View partially in longitudinal section on line II, Fig. 2 and partly in elevation looking at the side of the structure.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line II-II, Fig. 1, looking to the left.

In the views the character 5 designates the body of the casket, the same being of the usual form and dimensions for the reception of the body of the deceased. The structure 5 will be made of a single sheet of soft metal, as for example copper, or of a metal or alloy having attributes of copper, the said structure including an outwardly extending flange 5 all around its rim to receive a gasket 5*. Internally the body 5 of the casket has soldered or otherwise secured to it near its upper edge one leg of an angular piece of suitable metal, the projecting leg 6 of which constitutes a seat for a wooden frame 1. Hinged to said wooden frame 1 is the casket lid or cover 8, the latter being made of wood or metal or a combination of wood or metal, the object being to avoid embarrassing metallic sounds when the casket is closed with the lid upon the conclusion of the funeral services.

The vault structure includes a hood I also made of sheet copper or metal similar to that of the body, said hood having its top provided with parallel grooves Ill and a shoulder Ill around its marginv to fit and rest on the gasket so that when the vault structure is in place air cannot pass into the casket.

ll designates a protective member for the top of the vault, said protective member being made of sheet steel and is arched or rounded in form at the top. The margins of this protective member H are bent inward and formed with a flange ll and connected with the grooves of the top of the copper hood ill by solder. The connection just described by reason of its form and the position shown, that is near the lateral walls of the casket body, tends to prevent the collapse of the sides of the casket. The arched protective member l I can be provided with one or more internal zig-zagged bracing plates of steel I3, the sections of which can be soldered or welded to the steel member ll before it is connected with the copper hood. The endlegs of said bracing plate I3 are secured by soldering or welding between top and bottom portions of said protecting member ll. Such a bracing device tends effectively to sustain the load of the soil that is thrown into the grave on top of the vault. The hood can, if desired, be copperized or made rust proof, so called, inside and out.

If the bottom of a casket be made of copper alone, it is likely to be punctured by the spurs employed on trucks for transportation hence I provide a bottom plate of steel l2 having an upwardly extended flange all around that can be securedv by soldering to the side of the casket or to an ornamental trim [5 of wood around the bottom portion of the casket. To avoid the danger of slipping when carried on a truck either with or without spurs the bottom of the steel armor I2 is covered with suitable paper board or other soft material that can be slightly penetrated by spurs on the truck.

The flange of the steel bottom can have integral therewith or welded thereto upwardly extending therefrom suitable arms l2 provided with lugs l2 adapted to be engaged by spring steel catches Ill soldered on the lower margins of the skirt of the vault. In lieu of or in addition to the looking means just described other catches can be soldered to the inner side of the skirt of the vault to engage the lower side of the flange when the vault has been lowered on the casket to its home position.

Handles [4 of the ordinary form for pall bearers and other attendants are provided. These handles can be riveted to upward extensions or arms l2 of the bottom protecting plate l2. These handles have a firm connection with the bottom plate l2 which in effect forms a sort of shallow box in which the copper body of the casket is supported and contained.

For ornamentation both the interior and extepreserved for a long period of time especially if it has been embalmed.

While it is true, that given time and tools, theft of the contents of the grave cannot be prevented, yet with the construction herein shown the hard steel rounded and arched cover unlawful attempts to penetrate the vault or raise the same will be greatly discouraged.

From the construction shown and described it is obvious that in course of time the steel portions can rust and break down yet the copper portions will remain intact for some centuries of time in ordinary circumstances. That this is true is evidenced by the fact that objects or artifacts of copper nade in prehistoric times have been disinterred in nearly their pristine form and condition.

The forms of the parts can be changed without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed. Where I speak of copper in the claims I intend to include metal having a durable quality like that of copper.

What I claim is:

1. A combined casket and grave vault including a casket constructed of leak proof sheet copper having its bottom and adjacent side portions lined with sheet steel, a vault portion to inclose the casket consisting of an external arched protective cover of sheet steel having inwardly turned tongue and groove margins, and a zig-zag interior bracing member for said arched cover of sheet steel footed on said inwardly turned margins, a. hood of sheet copper for the casket having its upper portion bent into permanent engagement with said inwardly turned margins of the arched cover, the skirt of said hood being of ample depth and spaced from the exterior of the casket to provide a confined water excluding air body between the casket and vault hood.

2. A combined casket and grave vault including a casket constructed of leak proof sheet copper, a vault portion to inclose the casket consisting of an external arched protective cover of sheet steel having inwardly turned tongue and groove mar-- gins, and a zig-zag interior bracing member for said arched cover of sheet steel footed on said inwardly turned margins, a hood of sheet copper for the casket having its upper portion bent into permanent engagement with said inwardly turned margins of the arched cover, the skirt of said hood being of ample depth and spaced from the exterior of the casket to provide a confined Water excluding air body between the casket and vault hood.

WILLIAM S. STONE. 

